Weekends are for Celebrating!

Mixing batter...
sewing seams...
...and family gathers, in celebration of this beautiful 11yr old girl!


She is a treasure and as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside!
Our sweet nephew -almost ONE!

Who can pass up dirty little baby feet?
...and of course Optimus Prime was there!
My sister Michelle and Dade.

(He too, is getting big way too fast)

And a party isn't complete without some backyard swimming!

Happy Birthday Haylie!
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." ~Colossians 3:23

aka... Aunt Tina

*Don't forget to enter in our Yay Free Friday Giveaway in the post below!

Yay...Free Friday!

You are such sweet friends!

Every Friday we give YOU the opportunity to win a personalized doll! Choose the style, the colors, fabrics and most important the scripture verse!

Interested in trying to win?!

To Enter this weeks giveaway: Please leave a comment below.

Extra Entries: Would you share this Giveaway with your Friends?
Help us spread the word of God one doll at a time. Please share via: blog, twitter, facebook -and each counts as an extra entry! (please leave a separate comment for each)

I will choose the winner Monday morning!
Grab hold of your babies and cherish them today!

*Please note: I'm having some trouble with the linky tool...please feel free to leave your entries in the linky OR in the comments below...I will choose the winner from both. So sorry!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig!

To be honest...
I wasn't really feeling the "jiggity jig" when we got back home. Here is what I wrote in my journal the evening we returned.

I'm feeling a little emotional at the moment even thinking that tomorrow we start back into the old routine of life once again. I'm fighting on the inside. I was throwing an internal tantrum as we drove down the drive and turned North back home. This week has been beautiful! I've seen beauty in every moment! It is so easy! Over the past couple of days I feel God speaking in my heart -why? Why is it so easy to see and embrace the beauty now but not so much in the "everyday"? I struggle with this. It is so easy when we are taking a break from life...but how can I hold onto the beauty in the everyday?

Father will you show me?

Will you give me new eyes to see what is a moment filled with Grace? Gifts given? Moments to praise??

This is something that I have been missing. Not always but too often.

Fill me fresh Lord! Give me new strength and wisdom to move forward in faith. To live fully in Your beauty!

So over the past week I've been pondering just this. Pouring prayers, searching my eyes and opening my heart to this...the REAL beauty that's all around me. It's continuing to slow...to count the gifts given...and embrace the beauty of today!

Head to the Hills ~Day Eight/Nine

The last full day of vacation had really had nothing on the agenda.

Spoiled children watching a movie on the porch! =)

At the end of the day what better than to roast some marshmallows!! I bought the JUMBO SIZED thinking that it would be a special treat. We quickly discovered how difficult they were to work with.

and MESSY!

Kolton did a great job roasting his...but for some reason he kept giving them away for us to eat! HA!! =) When our bellies were full and sugar levels topped off we went to feed Grandpa's catfish. He hadn't fed them all week because we were fishing and wanted them good and hungry...but boy they were ready to eat!!

The sunset was beautiful and we all snuggled into our beds for the last night.

The next morning, Grandma spoiled us with a great breakfast! Little by little we started to pull bedding to wash and gather all our bags down by the door.

Bittersweet.....

As I was searching and collecting almost two weeks worth of goods from six people I noticed that Grandma was busy collecting in the garden. I couldn't pass up a picture of these fresh veggies sitting in a ray of sunshine!

Packing up and heading out!

This was how I was feeling too!

Head for the Hills ~Day Seven

Day seven of our vacation started out with 4 wheeler rides, toads and a shiner!
Kolton fell the day before and woke up with a black eye!

Didn't slow him down though and there is nothing like a morning ride in your PJ's!

Mr. Hopper from earlier in the week was accidentally baked to death in the sun...

So Tristin was thrilled when Grandpa found this toad in the barn!

Meet Pete!

My sweet man and Grandpa enjoyed some early morning target practice.

This is Lily {which I forgot to mention} is our newest kitty!

We got her from the local FREE KITTIES bin at the hardware!

...and my sweet girl.

The morning was relaxing and after lunch we headed to the beach!

Fun in the sand!

I must say that I love this purple polish!

Sand Castles!

Don't you love the designer "N"?

I love her thought process!

Swimming!

Refreshments {though we brought our own}

It was SO BEAUTIFUL!

Natalie and I wrote our thoughts in the sand.

Mine....Family

Natalies....Horses {of course!}

This is a picture of her sand horse!

more castles!

...then packing up and heading back home {well to gma and gpa's}

This was our first time down to the beach and we will definitely be going again! I'm thinking the kids and I might have to take a day trip yet before school starts! It was clean {which is VERY important to me} and so much fun!